ForeFlight Sentry Plus FAQs

Yes, the Sentry Plus has internal antennas for both UAT (978 MHz) and 1090ES (1090 MHz) frequency bands.

The traffic received by ADS-B In receivers, such as the Sentry Plus, and shown in ForeFlight Mobile, may not represent all nearby traffic, especially if an ADS-B Out transmitter is not installed in the aircraft being flown by you. See this article from iPad Pilot News for an explanation of how having ADS-B Out capability affects your traffic picture.

Reception is dependent on a number of factors, including Sentry’s location and orientation in the aircraft, aircraft configuration, and your aircraft’s location. Sentry’s Location & Orientation: Mounting Sentry Plus upright on a side window will provide the best reception, but if no side window is available you can also mount the Sentry Plus on the dash with the status lights towards the front of the aircraft.

Aircraft Configuration: All ADS-B receivers have poor reception through alternating current (AC) heated windshields, as the construction of such windshields tends to block ADS-B signals. Heated window solutions that utilize direct current (DC) do not block radio signals, by contrast. If your aircraft has an AC-heated front windshield, try mounting the Sentry Plus on any non-heated windows to see if reception improves.

Aircraft Location: It is normal to receive little or no ADS-B tower reception below about 1,000 feet AGL since ADS-B signals depend on line of sight. If you are not in range of any ADS-B towers, you will not see any weather in ForeFlight and your traffic picture will be limited to nearby ADS-B Out equipped aircraft. See this article for an explanation of how ADS-B towers and ADS-B Out capability affects traffic picture.

 

Yes, using its built-in barometer, Sentry Plus can display cabin pressure and pressure altitude in ForeFlight Mobile’s Instrument Panel on the Maps view.

Sentry Plus supports up to 5 simultaneous device connections to its Wi-Fi network.

ADS-B Indicator: Green: Receiving from multiple towers Yellow: Receiving from one tower Red: No reception GPS Indicator: Green: Good fix Yellow: Weak fix Red: No fix Power Indicator: Green: Battery good (greater than 30%) Yellow: Battery low (less than 30%)

Sentry Plus works with ForeFlight Mobile version 10.2 and above, and also works with OzRunways. Sentry purchased after November 2023 works with any iOS device that can run ForeFlight Mobile version 15.8 or later. This means that older iOS devices that cannot upgrade to ForeFlight 15.8 or later will not work with Sentry purchased after November 2023.

ForeFlight allows you to set a WPA2 password for Sentry’s Wi-Fi in the “Wi-Fi Settings” menu at the bottom of More Devices Sentry. You can also disable SSID broadcast, requiring someone to know the name of Sentry’s Wi-Fi network to connect to it. You can also change the Wi-Fi network’s name.

Yes, Sentry can be used with any mount that has a ¼”-20 bolt (same as a standard camera tripod). To do this, use a 4mm hex key to remove the quick release adapter from Sentry and then you can screw in any other ¼”-20 bolt.

Yes, Sentry Plus has a built-in WAAS GPS for the display GPS data in ForeFlight Mobile, including aircraft position, altitude, ground speed, and more.

Yes, Sentry and Sentry Plus have built-in digital AHRS to enhance the Synthetic Vision feature in ForeFlight Mobile. (The Sentry Mini does not have AHRS data)

Sentry Plus is compatible with a wide range of general aviation and experimental aircraft. It is optimized for use in environments with existing on-board WiFi systems.

Sentry Plus enhances situational awareness with ADS-B In data but does not fulfill ADS-B Out requirements necessary for FAA compliance.

Sentry Plus is designed for easy installation with options for both portable setups and more permanent mounts. It automatically powers on/off when connected to aircraft power. Wi-Fi.

Connect Sentry Plus to your iPad via WiFi to view real-time weather, traffic, and other flight data on the ForeFlight app.

Sentry Plus requires minimal maintenance. Keep the device charged and ensure firmware updates are regularly installed via the ForeFlight app.

Ensure the device is within range of the network and check that the WiFi credentials entered are correct. Restart the device if issues persist.

Ensure Sentry Plus has a clear view of the sky. Reboot the device if GPS inaccuracies continue.

For best performance it is recommended to place tablet in Airplane mode while using the Sentry Plus